The rain grew heavier, and the atmosphere was far from harmonious.
The downpour caused a mist to rise from the ground. The soldiers, who should have been in Liyang City seeking shelter, now found their socks and shoes soaked, their bodies trembling involuntarily.
Their eyes stared blankly at the city walls of Liyang City in the distance.
And before them, the military formation that did not welcome their return!
What was going on?
Forty thousand men halted within five miles of Liyang City. They dared not get too close because… one more step forward would mean a sky full of arrows.
These arrows from the Northern Frontier were mercilessly slaughtering these wandering souls returning north!
Perplexed, helpless, despairing…
A series of emotions swept over them, nearly crushing the last nerve of these armored soldiers.
“Northward? Northward… has it… has it become this difficult?”
“We… we don’t want to fight, we just want to go home!”
“Grandpa, Grandma, your son misses you… your son has a home but cannot return!”
After finally enduring the dead of night, after finally crossing the Yellow River and arriving here, but… but…
“Drip…”
“Drip, drip, drip…”
Countless tears mingled with the rain. Time wore down the morale of these Yuan soldiers as they returned north. Amidst their weeping, their eyes became vacant, empty of the unknown future ahead.
“We can’t go back…”
Suddenly, an aged voice rang out. It was the voice of the old soldier in his fifties. His face was now extremely weathered, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
“Yuan Shao cannot even tolerate wise men like Ju Shou, Xu You, and Tian Feng… let alone… cough cough… us? We… we can’t go back!”
One voice was filled with desolation…
Instantly, the whimpering disappeared, and the clamorous roars vanished. Only the sound of the rain pattered against everyone, soaking the bodies of these forty thousand men.
They were numb…
Everyone was numb.
Since Yuan Shao had ordered them to be treated this way, to be shot at, even if they forced their way north, it would be in vain. No city or county would dare to accept them.
Having a home… but unable to return!
“Dad…”
“Son…”
“Xiu’er, I can’t go back!”
These tough men, who shed blood and sweat but no tears on the battlefield, suddenly broke down at this moment, bursting into tears.
In these tears were utter disappointment in Yuan Shao, and also the tears shed because… they had a home but could not return.
“Stop crying…”
Finally, someone roared to the heavens, “Did your parents die? What are you crying for? If Yuan Shao doesn’t let us go back, can’t we fight our way back?”
The sudden outburst resonated with countless people.
“My hometown is in Zhuo County. My peach garden is even bigger than Zhang Yide’s. My mother still tends to these peach orchards every day… Damn it, Yuan Shao won’t let me see my mother, I swear I’ll never rest until he’s dead!”
His voice boomed.
At the same time, many voices suddenly erupted.
Of course, normal Yuan soldiers wouldn’t react so quickly to this. They still needed to go through a complete process of grief.
Lu Yu and Cao Cao had both considered this, which was why they had planted a large number of ‘plants’ in their ranks!
That’s right…
Just like in their past lives, in those large-scale talent shows, the audiences crying their hearts out in front of the cameras were all plants…
Ah, no, to be precise, they were actors!
A crying scene could earn several thousand!
Often, the words or actions of these ‘plants’ could guide other audience members!
At this very moment…
Before these forty thousand collapsing and despairing surrendered Yuan soldiers, there was always a need for some ‘plants’ to guide everyone’s emotions, so that the soldiers wouldn’t impulsively fight, die, or make meaningless sacrifices.
Instead, they should rationally return to the south bank of the Yellow River, back into Cao Cao’s embrace!
“What? Crying and sniveling? Will that get you home?”
“Will that let you go back and sleep with your wives?”
“Will that let you return to the life of wives, children, and warm kang beds?”
The voices of these plants grew louder and more forceful.
“Crying is useless! Standing around like fools is also useless… Damn it, instead of wasting time crying, it’s better to retreat to the south bank of the Yellow River. We can ask Commander Cao, ask Minister Lu to be our arbiter. If Yuan Shao doesn’t let us go home, we’ll follow Commander Cao and Minister Lu to fight our way back! That’s true backbone… that’s returning home in glory! Crying, only crying, I’m talking about you, you crying fool!”
The words were crude, but the meaning was sound.
Of course, if only one person said this, it might not affect the emotions of these forty thousand people.
But in this scene, with the cold arrow rain constantly falling!
What if… thousands of plants said the same thing?
Then, this sentiment of “returning south to Cao’s camp, fighting back to the Northern Frontier… returning home in glory” would instantly spread…
Indeed, soon…
These soldiers all started to have the thought of “fighting our way back to the Northern Frontier.” At this moment, they stood on the same front line as Cao Cao and Lu Yu!
They accepted the so-called words of “fighting back” and “returning home in glory.”
“Well said… Let’s go find Commander Cao, let’s fight our way back!”
“Our brothers will follow Commander Cao and Minister Lu. If Liyang City dares to stop us, we’ll tear the city down!”
“You don’t know until you compare, and the comparison is astonishing. Here… Minister Lu allows us to return north, Commander Cao gives us food and travel expenses, but Yuan Shao has this attitude, welcoming us with arrows… Who is the wise ruler? Who is the mediocre ruler, do we still need to look? Starting today, I’m rooting myself in Cao’s camp!”
Sentence after sentence of wild shouts followed one after another…
Forty thousand men…
United in hatred!
Even these plants hadn’t expected it to go so smoothly!
Suddenly, an armored soldier roared, “Then why go back? We only have a few thousand men in front of us, only one Liyang City? Let’s charge through! If we destroy Yuan Shao… won’t we be able to go home?”
As the words left his mouth, quite a few people echoed them!
However… it seemed that the plants were prepared for this scene, or rather, Lu Yu had prepared these plants.
Immediately, some plants climbed onto the carriages.
They shouted hoarsely, “Calm down, calm down… listen to me!”
“We have many people, but we have no weapons in our hands now, nor siege equipment. If we go and fight like this… even if we win, how many people will die? How many brothers will be buried along the Yellow River and unable to go home? It’s not worth it for Yuan Shao, not worth it!”
“Besides, we only have a few days’ worth of food. Let alone the north, we can’t even capture Liyang City! Let’s go back! Let’s go back… Minister Lu’s plans are flawless. He will surely defeat Yuan Shao without shedding blood and preserve the lives of our brothers!”
As this voice rang out!
In the crowd, a group of plants shouted enthusiastically.
“Yes, Commander Cao and Minister Lu will surely defeat Yuan Shao with ease…”
“The Northern Frontier should change its ruler, it’s time for a wise ruler!”
“Let’s go get him…”
With the efforts of these plants, the sentiment of the entire forty thousand Yuan soldiers completely changed. They turned their horses around and tacitly embarked on the road back to Cao’s camp.
A vast mass of people…
The banks of the Yellow River were instantly crowded, once again like the migration of animals on the prairie!
However… after this little interlude, there was no longer any complexity or hesitation in their eyes, only loyalty, passion… and hope!
…
…
Liyang City, atop the city walls.
“His Lordship is truly wise! He saw through Yin Lin’s scheme at a glance,” Guo Tu exclaimed uncontrollably. “Look, Yin Lin’s plan failed, and these tens of thousands of men, in their anger, have retreated, hehehe!”
As if accustomed to flattery.
Guo Tu’s praise for Yuan Shao was incessant.
Shen Pei on the side gave him a sidelong glance.
“Lord Yuan is not even here, do you need to fawn over him so much? Who are you trying to impress!”
“Heh!” Guo Tu turned and looked directly at Shen Pei. “What? Do you dare to question the Lord’s decisions?”
“Hmph…” Shen Pei snorted coldly. He pointed at the receding masses of tens of thousands of people ahead. “Of course, I don’t dare to question the Lord’s decisions, but from their steps, I can feel that they came with hope, but left with resentment!”
“So what?” Guo Tu sneered.
Shen Pei did not indulge Guo Tu at all, and immediately said coldly, “Guo Gongze, have you never thought that perhaps it is the Lord’s suspicion, and your flattery as a villain, that has chilled the hearts of the forty thousand soldiers who rightfully belonged to us!”
“Shen Zhengnan, please mind your words!” Guo Tu’s eyes showed ferocity.
“I am upright and honest, and my words and actions can withstand the scrutiny of the Lord and the common people of the Northern Frontier! Unlike you, a despicable, shameless, and sycophantic villain!” Shen Pei stepped forward, startling Guo Tu.
“You, you, you, you… you…” Guo Tu stammered, unable to speak…
But at this moment.
“Reporting… Mr. Guo, the eldest son has raised another sixty thousand troops from Qingzhou!”
A small soldier quickly reported…
“Good…”
Upon hearing the news of the eldest son, Yuan Tan, Guo Tu was quite excited.
It should be known that within the mid-level civil and military organizations of the Yuan clan, there were openly the faction of Ji Province talents and the faction of Ru’an gentry. But in reality, if it were based on the struggle for the heir, then within the Ru’an gentry faction alone, there could be divided into three factions…
The faction of the eldest son Yuan Tan, led by civil officials Guo Tu, Xin Ping, and Chen Lin, and military officials Wang Zhao, Cen Bi, and Peng An!
The faction of the youngest son Yuan Shang, led by civil officials Shen Pei and Feng Ji, and military officials Su You, Lu Kuang, Lu Xiang, Ma Yan, and Zhang Yi!
And the relatively idle second son Yuan Xi, with only two military officers under him, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan!
It could be said that the struggle for the heir apparent in this region was ten times more perilous than the struggle between factions!
Hearing that the eldest son Yuan Tan had raised troops, it was no wonder Guo Tu was quite pleased!
“Hehe…”
Unexpectedly, Shen Pei snorted coldly. “Gongze, you probably don’t know yet, but young master Shang has already recruited eighty thousand men in Ji Province. It seems he has two thousand more than young master Tan!”
This was blatant disdain…
Guo Tu’s eyes widened like copper bells. “Shen Zhengnan, don’t forget, young master Tan is the eldest son! He is the undisputed candidate for heir!”
Shen Pei shook his head. “I, Shen Zhengnan, have been loyal all my life. Whoever the Lord says to establish, I will pledge my allegiance to.”
The implication was that Lord Yuan Shao favored his youngest son Yuan Shang more…
“Hmph…”
With a cold snort, Guo Tu and Shen Pei parted ways on bad terms…
…
…
Guandu, in a study.
The rain pattered outside the window. Under the lamplight, Cao Cao was engrossed in reading a bamboo slip, which was ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu, Cao Cao’s favorite military book.
It was also a book recommended to Cao Cao by his teacher in the Imperial Academy, Duan Jiong, one of the ‘Three Luminaries of Liang Province,’ and ‘Young Master Qiao’ Qiao Xuan, for him to study throughout his life.
This showed how high the status of ‘The Art of War’ was in the hearts of famous generals and ministers of this era.
Of course, not everyone revered ‘The Art of War’ as divine.
For example… Huangfu Song disdained ‘The Art of War.’ He preferred to read ‘The Book of Wu Zi,’ which was a completely different school of thought.
It was precisely because of the different schools of military thought that in the early days of suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Cao Cao was once appointed as the ‘logistics officer’ under Huangfu Song!
At this moment… while reading, Cao Cao could not help but recall stories from his youth.
When he was as old as Yu’er, wasn’t he still a monstrous youth, a dissolute son?
Just then…
“Commander Cao, you summoned me?” Xun You’s voice came.
Cao Cao hurriedly put down the bamboo slip and got up to greet Xun You. Xun You, who had just entered the study, was still wearing wooden clogs and a straw rain cloak, holding a bamboo slip in his hand, which was the ‘Thirty-Six Stratagems’ ‘compiled’ by Lu Yu!
“Haha… I’ve been waiting for you!” Cao Cao brought Xun You into the room. He noticed the ‘Thirty-Six Stratagems’ in Xun You’s hand and smiled slightly without speaking.
Xun You, on the other hand, took off his rain cloak and wiped his wet hands.
“Commander Cao, it’s getting late! I presume this is an urgent matter!”
“Yes!” Cao Cao nodded, but then shook his head. “Yet, it is not.”
He paused and continued, “News has come from Xuchang City that my wife is about to give birth. It is this matter that I specifically sought you out to discuss!”
Hiss…
Xun You’s eyes darted.
Lady Ding is about to give birth? This matter…
How intelligent was Xun You?
Such a private matter, logically speaking, why would Cao Cao discuss it with an outsider like him?
But he was specifically summoned, so… the discussion was not just about this matter, but… it was related to Lu Yu!
Subconsciously, Xun You could already realize that Cao Cao’s purpose was to discuss Lu Yu, to discuss the heir apparent!
Then…
Suddenly, Xun You thought of something, but he did not speak. He chose to let Cao Cao lead the topic.
As expected, Cao Cao said, “Gongda, not many people in the entire Cao camp know Yu’er’s true identity. You and your uncle are two of them!”
Xun You’s eyes narrowed. As expected… it was indeed about the heir apparent!
Cao Cao’s words continued. “Lady Ding is my legal wife. Logically, the rule for the heir apparent is that the legitimate son is established; if there is no legitimate son, the eldest son is established… If there were no legitimate sons before, it would be fine, but if my wife gives birth to a son… then…”
Cao Cao did not finish his sentence… but the meaning was clear enough.
Xun You opened his mouth and said, “Commander Cao is worried that the legitimate son will threaten the eldest son’s succession to the position of heir?”
“That’s right!” Cao Cao nodded… “Before it was Ziyou, but Ziyou was easier to handle, after all, he was not born to my legal wife. I could let Yu’er also recognize Ding Hui as his mother. This way, whether in terms of righteousness or rules, it would be reasonable. But my wife is pregnant at this age and about to give birth, which has indeed disrupted all my plans!”
Actually…
Cao Cao specifically sent someone to inquire. For Ding Hui to be pregnant again at her age!
It was not that she was old, but… in the previous twenty years, her stomach had not moved. This… even if it was related to Old Cao’s cultivation, it was too ridiculous!
Later…
The Imperial Guards secretly investigated, and only then did Cao Cao learn that it was Yu’er!
Yu’er had brought him a big problem!
Hoo…
Cao Cao let out a sigh. Xun You, however, his eyes fixed. It was difficult for even an honest official to resolve family affairs, let alone Cao Cao’s family affairs. Xun You dared not interfere, nor could he.
Fortunately, he directly changed the topic.
“Commander Cao, it’s probably not just Commander Cao who has this worry…”
“Hm?”
“Our spies in the Northern Frontier have sent back news that Yuan Shao’s health is not optimistic, and his three sons, especially the eldest son Yuan Tan and the youngest son Yuan Shang, are competing with each other in secret. Yuan Shao must also be troubled about how to establish an heir!”
Hehe…
Hearing this, Cao Cao was amused. “Haha, Gongda, you are truly employing a euphemistic writing style, shifting the topic to Yuan Benchu… Haha, if it were your uncle, he would definitely advise me to follow the rules, follow the ancestral system…”
This…
The uncle of Xun You mentioned by Cao Cao was naturally Xun Yu.
However, Xun You shook his head. “If it were anyone else, my uncle might insist on adhering to the ancestral system and rules, but if it were Lu Yu… then my uncle would likely support him?”
“Why is that?” Cao Cao continued to ask.
Xun You replied truthfully, “My uncle once mentioned that he prided himself on his discerning eye and his ability to judge people, but… only Lu Yu made him unable to see through him. However, my uncle was certain that this Lu Yu would be able to change the world and bring a new life to the common people of the world!”
“For this, my uncle will also bet on Lu Yu! Bet on a peaceful and prosperous era!”
Hey…
Although Xun You’s words did not answer, did not participate in the selection of the ‘heir apparent,’ but between the lines, he was supporting Yu’er, wasn’t he?
This was indeed in line with what Cao Cao was thinking…
However, it remained to be seen whether other civil and military officials would have this realization.
Just then…
“Duke Cao, Duke Cao…”
Xu Chu rushed into the study.
As Cao Cao’s personal Tiger Guard, his unsteadiness was unprecedented.
“What? What happened?”
Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed. For Xu Chu to be so agitated, it must be a major event!
“She’s born, Madam has… she’s born!”
Xu Chu said.
He had just received a seven-hundred-li urgent dispatch from Xuchang City. Lady Ding had given birth, which was a major event and must be reported to Cao Cao immediately!
However…
Cao Cao was stunned, as if he were in a daze. He had not yet prepared himself psychologically.
It was Xun You, who was sharp, who immediately grasped the focus of the matter…
Yes… the focus was never on the birth itself! Instead, it was whether it was a boy or a girl!
“General Zhongkang? Did Madam give birth to a boy? Or a girl?”
Xun You asked loudly…
“A girl… a girl!” Xu Chu replied without hesitation.
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the study suddenly cleared up like the parting of clouds and the unveiling of the sun. Even though the rain pattered outside the window, the study was bathed in clear skies!
“Haha…”
“Hahahahahahaha!”
In an instant, Cao Cao’s demonic laughter echoed. He seemed to be laughing maniacally.
“A daughter is good, a daughter is good…”
This was Cao Cao, shouting from the bottom of his heart, with genuine sincerity!
“Good, a daughter is good!”
…
…